Milagros has worked at the base camp of Students International for more than 5 years as a housekeeper. She is a quiet, heavy- set woman in her forties who looks older than her age. She has lead an impoverished life in a tiny scrap wood house about half a mile from the base with her two teenage children. She smiles often, but behind her wrinkles, it is obvious that the years have proved hard.
No one speaks of her children's father or why she is alone providing for them. She has extended family but they have done little to help support her. She was even the sole care giver of her elderly father who couldn't ambulate until his death several months ago. A death which has caused much despair in her life and has propagated her into depression.
If life circumstances weren't enough, Milagros has a huge tumor growing on her left cheek (parotid gland). It is completely compressing her facial nerve, ear canal and cheek causing a lot of pain. She, like many Dominicans (and all of humanity), wants the best care and so has been going all the way to the capitol and is seeing private doctors. Doctors who are good but fail to take the time to explain to her why she has been denied surgery several times. And with each trip she spends more of the money she doesn't have. And her income continues to decrease as her co-morbidities have rendered her incapable of working.
Por fin, I sat down with her last week and listened. And checked her blood pressure. And her cholesterol. And prayed. And discovered a blood sugar of 512. 512. That's real bad.
My heart broke for this woman who sat in front of me, depressed who wants to take care of her body, but has no idea how to control Diabetes. Or why a doctor would deny surgery on her cheek because what does high sugar have to do with a surgery? A Christian woman so alone, uneducated and confused but just desiring people to walk beside her.
And so, I ask for your intercessory prayers. Please keep Milagros close to you, as I sit down with her every Monday and Friday morning to go over her meds and control her illnesses. As Sissy (our director's wife and PT) and Betsy (a PT volunteering with us) teach her simple exercises and how to change her diet.
Pray that she is open minded, that we are able to simplify complicated disease processes into a way that she can understand. Pray that we can control her Diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol to a level that will enable her to have the surgery she needs.
And then, once she has the surgery she needs, this woman whose name in Spanish means miracle will finally have the peace and hope she deserves. And that, as children of God, we all do too.
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